Metallic cartridge belt



June 27, 1939. BERGMANN 2,163,725

METALLI C CARTRIDGE BELT Filed April 25,-1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 2?, 3939. 5;, BERGMANN 2,353,725

METALLIC CARTRIDGE BELT Filed April 25, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Im/enZb/n- 7:5 Berg-22237172 BJMW Patented June 27, 1939 METALLIC CARTRIDGE BELT Theodor Emil Bergmann, Schoeneberg, near Berlin, Germany Application April 25, 1936, Serial No. 76,475 In Germany April 29, 1935 4 Claims.

The requirements associated with a modern type of cartridge belt, and more particularly a cartridge belt composed of metal, consist in addition to its general adaptability for military pur- 5 poses in the following:

1. The belt must be flexible in movement.

2. It must be light in weight, but at the same time it must possess sufi'lcient strength and stiffness.

3. The single members of the belt must be readily detachable and capable of being interchanged, so that the belt may be separated practically instantaneously at any desired point or also extended by the application of additional 35. sections. In this connection it is necessary that the hinge pins may be interchanged in ready and simple fashion.

4. The cartridges must be held firmly in the single sections without tendency to slip out even if the single sections should be widened laterally by reason of the pull exerted on the belt upon the passage through the weapon.

5. The possibility must be provided of enabling the belt to separate or break apart automatically at certain points, for example after every twenty or thirty cartridges, and for the separating members to be replaced immediately by other separating members or by members establishing a normal connection.

It is the object of the invention to provide a metallic cartridge belt in which the conditions aforesaid are properly fulfilled, and in the accomplishment of this object the invention resides substantially in the fact that the sections 1 of the belt are provided with hinges formed by the walls of the cartridge holders and disposed in the central axis of the belt, and are connected by readily exchangeable and withdrawable hinge pins.

The hinges may be stamped out in such fashion from the side walls of the cartridge holders and so bent that longitudinal bridges or connecting portions are formed which serve to reinforce the holders. If separating holders are provided in the belt, each of the two separating members may be connected by a hinge, which is likewise disposed in the central plane of the belt, with the adjacent normal section.

The exchangeable hinge pins both in respect to the normal sections as well as the separating sections may be so constructed that they are cylindrical over the entire length situated within the hinges and are held in the hinge portions by resilient means.

In conjunction with the hinges furnished in the transverse plane of the cartridges the sections may also be provided with one or more resilient lugs extending from the lower faces of the sections and engaging resiliently about the cartridges located in the sections, so that the cartridges are always held firmly in the belt even if the jaws of the belt sections are slightly expanded in their width by reason of the pull exerted on the belt. The same object may also be accomplished if a holder surrounding the cartridge is introduced 1 from above into the holder furnished with the hinges, the same being furnished with abutments which engage with the hinged holder, so that any expansion on the part of the latter is without effect on the holder actually gripping the cartridge. The rolled hinges may also be replaced by hinges produced from the walls of the jaws.

The invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the metallic cartridge belt according to the invention showing a number of connected sections, including one separating section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the belt taken along the line IIII in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a hinge pin.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of a cartridge belt in which for the sake of better comprehension the hinge portions held by the hinge pin according to the invention are shown in section.

Figs. 5 to 8 show hinge pins on an enlarged scale, Fig. 5 illustrating a pin having resilient expanded portions at the end, Figs. 6 and '7 a modified form of embodiment of the pin, partially in 5 section and in plan. and Fig. 8 an additional form of embodiment having reinforced expanded portions.

Figs. 9 to 11 show a modified form of embodiment of a cartridge belt having resilient lugs and hinges formed by grooves, Fig. 9 being a plan view, Fig. 10 an elevation, and Fig. 11 a section taken along the line XIXI in Fig. 9.

Figs. 12 to 14 show a modification of the embodiment according to Figs. 9 to 11 in plan, elevation and section (along the line XIV-XIV in Fig. 12) respectively.

Figs. 15 and 16, the former in plan view and the latter in section along the line XVIXVI in Fig. 15, show a. belt section comp-rising an inner cartridge holder and an outer holder bearing the hinges.

Figs. 17 to 19 show the hinged holder alone in plan, elevation and section along the line X[X-XIX in Fig. 1'7 respectively, whilst Figs. 20 to 22 show the holder for the cartridges alone in plan, elevation and cross-section along the line XXIIXXII in Fig. 20 respectively.

Figs. 23 and 24 show an additional embodiment of the holder for the cartridge and the holder bearing the hinge.

In the metallic cartridge belt according to Figs. 1 to 3 the members I, 2 and 4 are constructed as normal fixed-connection members, while the section 3 is a separating section. The cartridge holders or pockets 5 are composed of sheet steel. The lateral walls 6 are stamped out and rolled to form hinges 1, these hinges preferably being disposed in the central plane of the belt relative to the length thereof. The single members are held together by the readily detachable split pins l2. The side walls 6 are stamped out in such fashion that longitudinal bridges or connecting portions 8 are produced, which are integral with the clamping jaws. These serve to reinforce the holders or pockets quite considerably and make the construction completely stable, the weight of the complete holder being considerably reduced.

The cartridges may be particularly secured in the holders or pockets, either by constriction at a certain point adapted to bear against the powder chamber of the cartdidge, or by means of an extended fiat spring 9 engaging in the groove of the cartridge or about the edge of the cartridge, or by means of projections stamped out from the body of the holder, which projections bear against one or more points of the bottom or the neck of the cartridge and thus support the same.

The separating section 3 comprises, for example, two parts Ill and l l, which form together a cartridge holder .or pocket andengage the cartridge with their free ends. These parts engage in hinge-like fashion one within the other and are held together by the cartridge. The other ends of the parts I9 and H are bent to :form hinges corresponding with the hinges of the-adjacent normal sections 2 and 4 and are connected with the latter by means of the split pins 1.2 in similar fashion to the connection between two normal sections. The parts of the separating section may be made sufficiently stable by reinforcements at the edges or by means of stamped depressions.

The hinge pins 12 (Figs. 3 to 8) serving to connect the holders or pockets 1 are preferably cylindrical in form for that part of their length which is surrounded by the hinges, and are provided at the one end with .an ordinary flat head 13. The opposite end is split, but preferably only to suchextent as the pin projects beyond the hinge. The single members 14 thus formed are slightly expanded, in such fashion that they may be passed resiliently through the hinges I without particular difficulty. The parts l4 may also be furnished with reinforcements IS in order to ensure that the pins will be securely held in the hinges. In place of the slotted end the hinge .pin may also be constructed as shown in the case of the pin 120. This pinpossesses an annular groove l6, which is engaged by a projectionl] on the hinge I. This projection may .be. produced in desired fashion, preferably byforming a depression in the hinge portion. The connection .between groove and projection is such thatin .use the pin is held firmly in position, but when desired may be withdrawn from the hinge without appreciable difficulty.

In the case of the pin lZb there are provided both the split end as well as the annular groove with the projection engaging therein, so that the one may be regarded as a precautionary measure for the other, in which connection, however, despite the double security, the pin may be removed from the hinge without trouble. Should it be found desirable in particular cases to make special provision for securing the pin, flexible extensions such as wires, bands, lugs or the like may be secured to the split portion of the pin and bent outwards over the hinge. There may also be employed ordinary cotter pins, which are fur- ,nished with a loop or expanded portion at the one end and are bent over at the opposite end. .It is well known that in use a cartridge belt is subjected to a considerable pull in the horizontal direction, 1. e., in the direction of the hinges, and this causes the single holders or pockets to be widened laterally to a certain extent which, although small, is sufficient to cause the cartridges to fit loosely in their holders and under circumstances to fall out of the holders. To ensure that the cartridges will be held firmly even under these conditions the single sections may be furnished, in addition to the hinges in the horizontal middle plane, with special lugs 19 (Figs. 9 to 14), which are made to be resilient and extend from the lower face of the single sections. It will be apparent that when a lateral pull is exerted on the hinges in the direction of the arrows p the lugs IS will not be affected thereby, but will continue to grip the cartridge quite firmly or press the same against the jaw 20 despite the opening tendency on the part of the members 211 and 2|.

Naturally there may also be provided a plurality of resilient lugs on either side of the member l8, and these may be integral with this member or produced separately and secured in desired fashion, for example by welding, riveting or the like. The hinges 22 are pressed out of the jaws 26, '21, resulting in a very stable construction.

.The belt section may be provided with a flat spring 9, which engages with its bent portion in the groove at the bottom of the cartridge and holds the latter firmly in the longitudinal direction.

Figs. 12 to 14 show a belt section similar to that in Figs. 9 to 11 and furnished with resilient lugs. In this case, however, the hinges are formed by portions stamped out of the jaws 29 and 2| and bent back in circular fashion.

According to Figs. 15 and 16 the belt section comprises two holders or pockets 23 and 24, of which the former constitutes the outer holder and possesses the hinge portions 25a and 2519, Whilst 24 is the inner holder or pocket adapted to hold the cartridge firmly under all conditions. The holder 24 is introduced into the outer holder 23 from the top and is furnished with-lateral pro jections 26, which may be stamped out from the material of the wall and by means of which'the pocket or holder 24 is held in. the holder 23 in ready and simple fashion. tongues or projections 26 engage in recesses 21 in the holder-.23 and are so disposed in height that they are situated below the hinges. At the same time they are so-distributed that they do not occur at-the points of the hinges on the holder 23.

If now the two-part sections are made up to form a belt, the hinge portions of the adjacent sections engage over the projections .26 on the holder 24, so that the latter is accordingly con.- nected with the holder 23. The connectionis such that although the holder 24 is not shiftable in height or in the longitudinal direction the holder orpocket '23 is free to widen in the transverse direction without aiTecting the form of the other holder 24. The tongues or projections 26 are always guided in the recesses 21, so that the holder 24 is firmly held in the holder 23 without being affected by the widening tendency on the part of the outer holder. The cartridges are accordingly always held with an equal force in the holder 24.

In place of the recesses 21 there may also be provided in the jaws of the holder 23 slots 28 (Fig. 23), which are engaged by the tongues or projections 29 (Fig. 24) on the cartridge holder 24. The tongues or projections and the corresponding slots may be arranged in desired distribution. In assembling the two holders or pockets the inner holder is preferably somewhat compressed and the outer holder somewhat expanded until the tongues move into the slots. Since the holders are preferably made of a resilient material, they return quite readily to their initial position.

The metallic belt according to the invention may be employed not only for ordinary rifle cartridges but also for ammunition of larger size, for example for anti-aircraft guns. The invention is in no way limited to a certain size of ammunition.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: j

1. A metallic cartridge belt comprising a plurality of holders, each holder being provided with integral hinge members on both sides adapted for interengagement with corresponding members on adjacent holders, removable hinge pins engaging opposing members to form a hinge and bracing bridge portions extending the entire length of the holder and integral therewith, forming clamping jaws for a cartridge; the hinges being so arranged that the horizontal plane through the hinge axis coincides with the horizontal plane through the central axis of the cartridge inserted in the belt, and flexible lugs extending from the sides of the holder adapted for giving additional support to the cartridge, these lugs being independent of the tension action on the hinges of the belt.

2. A metallic cartridge belt comprising a plurality of holders, each holder being provided with integral hinge members on both sides adapted for interengagement with corresponding members on adjacent holders, removable hinge pins engaging opposing members to form a hinge and bracing bridge portions extending the entire length of the holder and integral therewith, forming clamping jaws for a cartridge; the hinge being so arranged that the horizontal plane through the hinge axis coincides with the horizontal plane through the central axis of the cartridge inserted in the belt, a separating member arranged between two adjacent holders adapted for supporting the cartridge in the belt, said member being bi-furcated and flexible and adapted to engage with the hinge member on an adjacent holder, so

that the two portions of the separable member are held together by an inserted cartridge.

3. A metallic cartridge belt comprising a plurality of holders, each holder being provided with integral hinge members on both sides adapted for interengagement with corresponding members on adjacent holders, removable hinge pins engaging opposing members to form a hinge and bracing bridge portions extending the entire length of the holder and integral therewith, forming clamping jaws for a cartridge; each holder consisting of an inner pocket for the insertion of the cartridge and a flexible outer pocket enclosing the inner pocket and carrying the hinge members, the

inner pocket forming a separable connection with the outer pocket and having projections engaging in corresponding slots in the outer pocket in such manner that the inner pocket is independent of the tension exerted in the length direction on the belt.

4. A metallic cartridge belt comprising a plurality of holders, each holder being provided with integral hinge members on both sides adapted for interengagement with corresponding members on adjacent holders, removable hinge pins engaging opposing members to form a hinge and bracing bridge portions extending the entire length of the holder and integral therewith, forming clamping jaws for a cartridge; the hinges being so arranged that the horizontal plane through the hinge axis coincides with the horizontal plane through the central axis of the cartridge inserted in the belt and an extension of the holder in length direction thereof provided with claws constituting a flexible gripper of the cartridge.

THEODOR EMIL BERGMANN. 

